Fidget Feet to expand Mid-West hub and international reach

Fidget Feet to expand Mid-West hub and international reach. Pictured at An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny, County Donegal for the launch of the Strategic Plan 2026-2029 for Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Company were (l to r) Paul Thompson, General Manager, Fidget Feet; Gerard Dollard, Chair; Jym Daly, Founder; Danilo Pacheco, Aerial Artist, Brazil; Chantal McCormick, Founder and Artistic Director; Shauna Maunsell, Aerial Artist and Board Member and Traolach O’ Fionnain, Arts Officer, Donegal County Council. The launch took place as part of the Irish Aerial Dance Festival 2026. Credit Jym Daly.

Fidget Feet unveils a major growth strategy aimed at expanding its international and Mid-West presence while strengthening its creative base in Limerick

Ireland’s leading aerial dance company, Fidget Feet, has unveiled a major growth strategy aimed at expanding its international presence while strengthening its creative base in Limerick.

The company launched its Fidget Feet Strategic Plan 2026-2029 at the 17th Irish Aerial Dance Festival in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, bringing together aerial artists, performers and industry leaders from Ireland and overseas.

The three-year roadmap sets out plans to increase international touring, develop new creative partnerships and grow audiences at home and abroad as the organisation approaches its 30th anniversary in 2028.

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A key focus of the strategy will be establishing Limerick as Fidget Feet’s permanent creative hub, building on its base at the Irish Aerial Creation Centre at the former Burlington factory site in Parteen, near the University of Limerick.

The company said it aims to deliver more than 200 performances nationally and internationally over the lifetime of the plan, while expanding the Irish Aerial Dance Festival as a major showcase event for the artform. The company also intends to offer eight scholarships and an Emma Insley Commission worth €5,000 in 2029 to support emerging talent and new artistic work.

Founded in 1998 by Donegal native Chantal McCormick and her husband Jym Daly, Fidget Feet has become a leading force in aerial dance and contemporary circus, creating more than 38 productions and performing across Europe, North America, Australia, Africa and Asia.

Chairperson Gerard Dollard said the strategy marked a new chapter for the company.

“Fidget Feet has spent almost three decades pushing artistic boundaries and creating opportunities for artists, audiences and communities across Ireland and internationally,” he said.

“This strategy provides a clear direction for the next stage of that journey, with strengthening our home in Limerick at the heart of our plans.

“We want to continue building a world-class creative base that supports artists, attracts international collaboration and showcases the very best of Irish aerial arts.”

Mr Dollard said the timing of the launch during the Irish Aerial Dance Festival was significant.

“The festival has become one of the most important gatherings for aerial arts in Europe and reflects the leadership role that Fidget Feet continues to play in developing the artform.”

Founder and Artistic Director Chantal McCormick said the company’s ambition from the beginning was to prove aerial performance could thrive in Ireland.

“When we started Fidget Feet, our ambition was to create extraordinary aerial performances that would inspire audiences while proving that this artform could flourish in Ireland,” she said.

“Almost three decades later, we’ve built something that reaches far beyond our own productions. We’ve helped create a thriving aerial arts community and supported artists who are now shaping the next generation of the sector.

“We want to create bold, world-class work that tours nationally and internationally, while continuing to mentor artists, foster collaboration and ensure Ireland is recognised as a global centre for aerial arts.”

The strategy focuses on four key areas: artistic work, people, roots and reach, and leadership and governance.

Fidget Feet said it will also prioritise audience development, inclusion, community engagement and financial sustainability as it prepares for its 30th anniversary celebrations in 2028 and the 20th anniversary of the Irish Aerial Dance Festival in 2029.

The company is supported by the Arts Council, Limerick City and County Council, Donegal County Council, Clare County Council, Culture Ireland, the University of Limerick, the Irish Aerial Creation Centre, and the Irish Street Arts, Circus and Spectacle Network.